Golden Globes: ‘La La Land’ tops diverse group of winners

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This image released by NBC shows the cast and crew of “La La Land” winner of the award for best motion picture musical or comedy at the 74th Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Sunday, Jan. 8, 2017. (Paul Drinkwater/NBC via AP)

While musical favorite “La La Land” danced its way into the winner’s circle at the 74th Golden Globe Awards on Sunday, taking all seven trophies it was nominated for, the Jimmy Fallon-hosted show had its moments of drama — in its acceptance speeches.

It was also an evening that recognized people of color, some young talent and a wealth of British performers.

Damien Chazelle, who will turn 32 later this month, won for directing, writing and producing best motion picture comedy “La La Land,” a musical about two aspiring artists trying to make it in Los Angeles.

Upon accepting her award, Stone thanked her “amazing mom.” “I moved out here 13 years ago this week,” she noted. “This is a film for dreamers. Hope and creativity are the most important things in the world.”

After winning the best film actor in a musical or comedy, Gosling paid endearing tribute to his partner, actress Eva Mendes.

“As I was singing and dancing and having one of the best experiences I’ve ever had on a film, my lady was raising our daughter, pregnant with our second and trying to help her brother in his battle with cancer,” he said.

The indie film “Moonlight,” the story of a young black man growing up gay, from director Barry Jenkins, 37, took home only one award, but it was a big one: best movie drama.

“If you’ve seen this film,” implored Jenkins, “tell a friend, tell a friend, tell a friend.”

On the television side, 33-year-old Donald Glover’s comedy “Atlanta” was named best comedy, and he won best actor in a comedy.

However, it was Meryl Streep who quieted the crowd on a night usually known for its partylike atmosphere. The Hollywood legend, who received the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement, took her opportunity onstage to make a statement about the political climate.

“We are the most vilified segment of society — Hollywood, foreigners, the press,” she said, echoing words that Hugh Laurie had spoken earlier after winning for his role in “The Night Manager.”

She then pointed out how so many who work in film and television are not elites but come from small towns and poor or middle-class families both here and abroad.

She then took President-elect Donald Trump to task for ridiculing a disabled person.

Casey Affleck was named best actor in a film drama for playing a man who suddenly must care for his teenage nephew in “Manchester by the Sea,” while a stunned Isabelle Huppert won best actress for her role in “Elle,” which had won as best foreign film.

“Do not expect cinema to set up walls and borders,” the French actress told the audience.

“Fences” star Viola Davis was named best supporting actress in a motion picture. She thanked Denzel Washington, who starred in and directed the adaptation of the August Wilson play and paid tribute to her late father.

Tracee Ellis Ross got her first Globe as best actress in a TV comedy as the mom on ABC’s “Black-ish.”

“This is for all the women of color and colorful people whose stories, ideas and thoughts aren’t always considered worthy or valid,” she said.

“I really want to thank Atlanta and all the black folks just for being alive and doing amazing things,” he said.

“Zootopia” was named best animated film.

Netflix’s “The Crown” won best TV drama. The series from Peter Morgan (“The Queen”) beat out HBO’s juggernauts “Game of Thrones” and “Westworld.”

Claire Foy, who plays the young Queen Elizabeth II, was something of a surprise winner as best actress in a TV drama.

“I’m having an out of body experience,” said the British actress.

She then acknowledged the monarch “as a women who has been at the center of the world for the past 63 years, and I think that the world could do with a few more women at the center of it.”

The British stars of “The Night Manager,” based on a thriller by John Le Carre about an arms dealer, had a good night. Tom Hiddleston took home the best actor in a limited series award. He dedicated the win to those who are battling arms dealing.

Laurie, who had won previously for his role in “House,” was named best supporting TV actor.

“This is obviously a terrible mix-up,” the British actor said, looking at the statuette, then turning comically serious. “I’ll be able to say I won this at the last ever Golden Globes. I don’t mean to be gloomy. It’s just that it has the words ‘Hollywood,’ ‘foreign’ and ‘press’ in the title. … I also think that, to some Republicans, even the word ‘association’ is slightly sketchy.”

The first award of the night went to Aaron Taylor-Johnson, a surprise winner for best supporting film actor. Many had expected Mahershala Ali from “Moonlight” or Oscar-winner Jeff Bridges in “Hell or High Water” to win. Instead, the gold went to the young British actor, 26, who played a drifter in Tom Ford’s “Nocturnal Animals.”

Sarah Paulson repeated her Emmy win as best actress in a miniseries or TV movie for her role in “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story.” In no surprise, “The People v. O.J. Simpson” was also the Globe’s choice in that category.

Billy Bob Thornton won as best actor for playing a down and out attorney on Amazon’s “Goliath.”

“The Tonight Show” host Fallon began the show with a song and dance that parodied the musical scenes in “La La Land,” including the traffic-jam opening to the dreamy number “City of Stars,” which changed the lyrics to “Room full of stars, they’ve been getting drunk since three.”

Rob Lowman began at the L.A. Daily News working in editing positions on the news side, including working on Page 1 the day the L.A. Riots began in 1992. In 1993, he made the move to features, and in 1995 became the Entertainment Editor for 15 years. He returned to writing full time in 2010. Throughout his career he has interviewed a wide range of celebrities in the arts. The list includes the likes of Denzel Washington and Clint Eastwood to Kristin Stewart and Emma Stone in Hollywood; classical figures like Yo Yo Ma and Gustavo Dudamel to pop stars like Norah Jones, Milly Cyrus and Madonna; and authors such as Joseph Heller, John Irving and Lee Child. Rob has covered theater, dance and the fine arts as well as reviewing film, TV and stage. He has also covered award shows and written news stories related to the entertainment business. A longtime resident of Santa Clarita, Rob is still working on his first more-than-30-year marriage, has three grown children (all with master's degrees) and five guitars.